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• Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2017 (Revised August 2020)

  RB

  Joshua Margolis, Vincent Dessain and Jerome Lenhardt

  As 2016 was approaching its end, Rakesh Kapoor, CEO of RB, one of the world’s major fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, envisioned the prospect of a major acquisition that would add a line of health-related products that promised growth in the developing markets of Asia. The acquisition would also move RB closer in size to its better-known rivals, such as Unilever or P&G. RB, formerly Reckitt Benckiser, produced health, hygiene and home products and its strategy revolved around 19 top-selling global brands known as Powerbrands, such as antiseptic Dettol or sore throat medicine Strepsils, and cold remedy Mucinex. In 2016, the company recorded sales of $13.4 billion and a market capitalization of $62 billion. Kapoor wondered whether the moment was ripe for a major acquisition or if the organization needed more time to adapt to its new health and hygiene oriented strategy and some key organizational changes. Could Kapoor keep what made RB so unique among its FMCG peers intact through this transformation, and would an acquisition advance or jeopardize what distinguished RB?

  Keywords: Organization Behavior; corporate culture; Mergers ＆ Acquisitions; Growth; geographic development; Mergers and Acquisitions; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Growth and Development Strategy; France;

  Citation:

  Margolis, Joshua, Vincent Dessain, and Jerome Lenhardt. "RB." Harvard Business School Case 418-033, October 2017. (Revised August 2020.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2020 (Revised August 2020)

  San Francisco Ballet: On 'Pointe' for the Future

  Rohit Deshpandé and Nicole Tempest Keller

  The SF Ballet was regarded as one of the top ballet companies in the world. It had an enviable earned revenue percentage of almost 50% and had an internationally recognized ballet school. However, by 2019 the Ballet faced a number of challenges. Ballet was a European art form that had gained popularity in the U.S. a century ago, but the demographics of the U.S. no longer reflected those European roots. In San Francisco, the Ballet had been a favorite pastime of the older, monied set, but the city's demographics had changed over the last few decades as young Millennials had flocked to San Francisco to join the burgeoning tech industry. The Ballet struggled to attract younger audiences and found itself competing with digital alternatives for how people spent their leisure time. Moreover, to make changes in programming, accessibility, and the Opera House venue to appeal to younger audiences, the Ballet risked alienating its loyal, older donors, who were the lifeblood of the Ballet's revenue model. Kelly Tweeddale, the newly hired Executive Director, had to consider the interests of various stakeholders––dancers, donors, audience, staff, board, and the local community––which often were at odds with one another. With limited resources, the Ballet needed to choose which changes to tackle first and those decisions were tied to how the organization prioritized its various constituents.

  Keywords: Arts; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Demographics; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Social Enterprise; Cultural Entrepreneurship; United States; San Francisco;

  Citation:

  Deshpandé, Rohit, and Nicole Tempest Keller. "San Francisco Ballet: On 'Pointe' for the Future." Harvard Business School Case 520-054, February 2020. (Revised August 2020.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | July 2020

  Karen Bruck: Growing Managers at MercadoLibre

  Joshua D. Margolis, Fernanda Miguel and Mariana Cal

  Karen Bruck, Corporate Sales Director at MercadoLibre, Latin America's largest e-commerce platform, needs to make a decision about one of her managers, who, while analytically savvy, has an approach that does not fit in with the company's culture.

  Keywords: Performance Evaluation; Employee Relationship Management; Decision Making; Interpersonal Communication; Organizational Culture; Retail Industry; Latin America; Argentina;

  Citation:

  Margolis, Joshua D., Fernanda Miguel, and Mariana Cal. "Karen Bruck: Growing Managers at MercadoLibre." Harvard Business School Case 421-013, July 2020.  View Details

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